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With regard to water efficiency and conservation programs in Canada: (a) who is working to ensure a budget will be issued specifically to water efficiency and conservation programs under the Building Canada Plan; (b) when will funds be allocated to supporting innovative municipal and federal water efficiency programs; (c) will programs be implemented to encourage the protection of freshwater resources, and to raise awareness about water efficiency and conservation; (d) what action has been taken thus far to establish goals and objectives regarding water efficiency and conservation; (e) what pl

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-429, which New Democrats will be supporting. Part of the reason we will be supporting this private member's bill is that many of our ridings, Nanaimo—Cowichan being one of them, rely on the forestry sector. I want to put in context why it is so important to communities like mine.

Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak to Bill C-9, the jobs and economic growth act. As the member for Outremont, our finance critic, has indicated, the New Democrats will be voting against this particular piece of legislation.

When pieces of legislation come before the House, we have responsibilities as members of Parliament to give them full consideration. Although we do support pieces of this legislation, there are other pieces of it that we are fundamentally opposed to. The Conservative government has decided to jam into this piece of legislation things that should properly be considered by other parliamentary standing committees and should have stand-alone legislation.

I spoke with representatives of local unions immediately after the announcement. Although they were pleased to hear the government was finally taking steps to level the playing field for pulp and paper producers in Canada, they raised some concerns.

This plan is designed to offset the depressing effects on Canadian pulp sales by the US black liquor subsidy. Black liquor is a by-product of processing and can be used as an alternative fuel to power mills.

By: Jean Crowder

British Columbia has lost 65 sawmills, four pulp mills and 20,000 jobs in the forestry industry since 2001. With a spinoff effect of about one to three, this means a loss of 60,000 jobs.

That is tens of millions of dollars of revenue that is no longer being sent to government coffers to help pay for health care and education.
Jim Sinclair, head of the BC Federation of Labour recently said that forestry contributes close to 40 percent of B.C.'s exports and 25 percent of our GDP.

Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this legislation before the House today.

I want to give some context around the bill. One of the reasons this bill has come before the House is the fact that the original act has had little change since 1974. We know that, in many cases, the provincial legislation has changed but the federal legislation has simply failed to keep pace.

As other members have pointed out, when changes to the Indian Oil and Gas Act were contemplated, consultations were held with the first nations players who were involved in the oil and gas sector. One of the things we the committee heard was that most of the first nations that were involved did support the process but that there were a couple of first nations that raised significant concerns. In my speech today, I will touch on some of those concerns.

Forestry sector needs federal help, says MP Crowder
Sarah Simpson, The Citizen
Published: Friday, January 16, 2009

Nanaimo-Cowichan MP Jean Crowder said Catalyst's decision to forgo paying its entire tax bill will have significant effects on the Municipality of North Cowichan this year.

The Catalyst Paper Corporation has told the provincial government the amount of municipal taxes it pays is unfair and come tax time, they won't be paying what the government says they owe.

Need is urgent for economic relief
Jean Crowder, Special to The Citizen
Published: Friday, January 16, 2009

Parliament resumes on Jan. 26, with a new federal budget to follow. One can only wonder what priorities will be reflected in that budget. My hope is that it provides urgent relief for our communities and our vulnerable citizens.

Like forest workers. My heart goes out to all the families who have been affected by closures.

40:1 Hansard - 7 (2008/11/26)

Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present. One of them is very timely. It is about the recent job losses in the forestry industry of British Columbia which has caused tremendous financial hardship for forestry workers. It has to do specifically with the processing times for applications for employment insurance. Some workers have had to wait up to four weeks.